After years of talk and not much to show for it, Candler Crossing is finally getting shovels in the ground. The long‑planned retail redevelopment at the southeast corner of Candler Road and Glenwood Road in unincorporated Decatur is set to officially break ground on June 11, according to developers and county officials.
The $28.9 million project spans roughly 7.2 acres and is billed as a neighborhood catalyst. Plans call for a 50,325‑square‑foot Publix grocery store and an 11,200‑square‑foot multi‑tenant retail building. One 2,000‑square‑foot storefront is being set aside as an affordable space for qualifying local businesses, and the site plan includes a public plaza, walking trail and a renovated MARTA bus stop. Developers and officials say the center is expected to generate more than 100 construction jobs and about 183 permanent positions once it opens.
Project by the numbers
According to the Decide DeKalb Development Authority, the Candler Crossing site plan features a 50,325‑square‑foot grocery store and an 11,200‑square‑foot retail building on roughly 7.26 acres. The agency’s project page also notes a single 2,000‑square‑foot commercial suite reserved for local businesses at below‑market rent for the first five years.
Venture South Investments, the project’s developer, is marketing the grocery as a “high‑end” Publix and highlighting 267 surface parking spaces, restaurant patios and pedestrian improvements in its leasing materials. The pitch is that it will feel less like a lonely strip center and more like a neighborhood hub where people can actually linger.
Groundbreaking and timeline
Urbanize Atlanta reports that the official groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for June 11 and will feature DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran‑Johnson along with leadership from Decide DeKalb.
A county news release states that construction is slated to begin in spring 2026 and that initial occupancy is expected in October 2027, according to DeKalb County. County officials say the project will be backed by a $3.82 million Tax Allocation District award using a “pay‑as‑you‑go” reimbursement model, so developers are repaid only as new tax revenues come in rather than with upfront public cash.
Those timelines and financing details are central to the county’s argument that Candler Crossing will expand access to fresh food in South DeKalb while keeping financial risk to taxpayers in check.
Why South DeKalb is watching
Local leaders and residents have long described the Candler and Glenwood intersection as an underinvested stretch of road. The Atlanta Journal‑Constitution noted that the Candler Crossing announcement arrived just as a nearby Kroger shut its doors, wiping out another grocery option for surrounding neighborhoods.
The Atlanta Journal‑Constitution has also reported that county leaders are linking broader redevelopment along this corridor to ongoing sewer repairs and infrastructure work required under a federal consent decree, a bit of legal backstory that helps explain why developers are suddenly more interested.
Developers say the project’s public plaza, walking trail and upgraded transit stop are meant to improve walkability and safety for neighbors, a point emphasized on the Decide DeKalb Development Authority project page.
Affordable retail, jobs and the TAD
The Decide DeKalb Development Authority board’s $3.82 million award for Candler Crossing comes through the Southwest DeKalb Tax Allocation District program and is described as a targeted incentive to help pull in private financing.
DeKalb County materials say the TAD uses a pay‑as‑you‑go structure that reimburses developers only as incremental property tax revenue is generated by the project, which county officials argue limits taxpayer exposure.
Officials estimate the development will create at least 100 construction jobs and about 183 permanent positions when fully open. Venture South Investments reiterates in its leasing flyer that one 2,000‑square‑foot unit will be reserved at a controlled rent level for qualifying local businesses, a small but notable nod to neighborhood entrepreneurs who are often priced out of new projects.
What to watch next
The June 11 ceremony will be the first big public test of Candler Crossing’s promise, and Urbanize Atlanta reports that county and developer leaders are expected to attend.
If the construction schedule holds, tenant openings could begin in October 2027, delivering South DeKalb its largest new grocery option in years. Neighbors and small‑business owners eyeing the affordable retail suite will want to keep an eye on future leasing announcements from Venture South Investments and updates from the Decide DeKalb Development Authority for application details and deadlines.
